Combined crocheting and looping needle

ABSTRACT

A sewing needle having an eye at one end and a crochet hook at the other end. Yarn is passed through the eye which serves its customary function during the making of loops and which serves as a yarn guide and yarn feed control during the making of crochet stitches. The relationship of the hook and the eye is such that the needle can be used to form successively loop and crochet stitches and vice versa. The needle is also provided with an annular stop means for limiting the size of loop formation, such stop means being frictionally adjustable on the needle in its spacing from the eye.

United States Patent Singleton [4 1 July 25, 1972 [54] COMBINEDCROCHETING AND 2,309,528 1/1943 Otting et al ..66/1 17 LQOPING NEEDLE3,228,212 1/1966 Huber ..66/1 17 72] Inventor: Richard L. Singleton,Wichita, Kans. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: Loopco,Wichita, Kans. 976,717 1 1/ 1950 France ..66/ 1 [22] Filed: April 1970Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin 2 L N 26,690 Assistant Examiner-GeorgeH. Krizmanich Attorney-Robert E. Breidenthal [52] US. Cl ..66/1 18 57ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 3/02 58 Field of Search ..223/102; 66/117, 1 18, l 19, A Sewmg needle haw"; eye end and crochet hook 66/] atthe other end. Yarn is passed through the eye which serves its customaryfunction during the making of loops and which 56 R f C} d serves as ayarn guide and yarn feed control during the making I 1 e arenas I e ofcrochet stitches. The relationship of the hook and the eye is UNITEDSTATES PATENTS such that the needle can be used to form successivelyloop and crochet stitches and vice versa. The needle is also provided386,723 7/1888 Sm'th "223/102 with an annular stop means for limitingthe size of loop formal358'067 1/1920 Ensfield "66/1 18 tion, such stopmeans being frictionally adjustable on the neel,540,790 6/1925 McCray.223/102 X dle in its Spacing from the 2,217,524 10/1940 Neyschwanger eta1. ..66/118 v 2,234,061 Porter et al ..66/l17 4 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,712

2 Sheets-Sheet l RICHARD LS/NGLETO/V YNVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented July 25, 1972 3,578,712

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &/2

RICHARD L.S/NGLETON INVENTOR- ATTORNEY COMBINED CROCHETING AND LOOPINGNEEDLE The present invention relates to new and useful improve ments insewing needles for loop stitching and crochet stitching, and moreparticularly pertains to a single needle enabling the successive makingof either type of such stitches.

Crochet hook or crochet stitching needles and loop stitching needles areboth well known; but heretofore, when it has been desired to produce afabric incorporating both loop and crochet stitches so as to enjoy thealmost unlimited versatility and advantages of the styles of fabricthereby realizable, it has been necessary to employ two separate needlesa looping needle and a crocheting needle.

When the looping needle was to be used, the crochet hook or needle hadto be laid aside, which was not only inconvenient, but occasionallyresulted in at least the temporary misplacement of the same. A muchgreater inconvenience was entailed when the crochet needle was used asthe yarn must continue to be passed through the eye of the loopingneedle, and the looping needle had to be moved along the yarn betweenthe fabric and the ball or supply of yarn each time its use wasdiscontinued, as well as commenced; for otherwise the looping needlewould subject the user to the disturbing nuisance of jerking about onthe yarn as the latter was manipulated while making crochet stitches.

It is the paramount object of the present invention to spare the personalternately forming one or more crochet stitches and one or more loopstitches the necessity for employing two separate needles and theattendant inconveniences mentioned above.

It is another important object of the invention to provide a sewingneedle enabling the selective making of either loop and crochetstitches.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a needle inaccordance with the above objects wherein the eye customarily associatedwith a looping needle serves the function of a yarn guide and a meansenabling the user to control the rate of yarn fed in the making of eachcrochet stitch when the needle is employed to make crochet stitches.

Broadly, the invention comprises the provision of a sewing needle havinga crochet hook at one end and a loop eye adjacent its other end.Preferably the invention also comprises the needle being provided with ameans intermediate its ends facilitating finger gripping, and theprovision of stop means adjustably positionable along the needle betweenthe finger gripping means and the eye for limiting the size of loopsformed in the loop stitches.

These and other objects, as well as important features and advantages,will become manifest during the following description of a preferredembodiment of the invention, such description being given in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the needle of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a reduced side elevational view of the needle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another elevational view of the needle, this view being takenat right angles to the view shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional fragmentary detail viewtaken upon the plane of section line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

' FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken upon I the planeof the section line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken upon the plane ofthe section line 6--6 in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer tolike parts throughout the various views, the reference numeral 10designates generally the needle of the invention.

The needle 10 is comprised of an elongated body designated generally at12 and an annular stop member designated generally at 14. The body 12can be made of metal such as steel or aluminum, synthetic resin orplastic such as nylon or the like, or fine-grained hardwood such asmaple, walnut or lemonwood. The stop member is preferably of a resilientelastomeric material such as to have a substantial coefficient offriction with respect to the material of the body 12 such as neoprene orthe like.

The body 12 has a notch 16 adjacent one end thereof to define a barb 18.The shape of the notch 16 and the barb I8 is such as to constitute aconventional crochet hook designated generally at 20 having a smoothlyrounded or contoured tip 22 of relatively reduced transverse dimensions.As is customary all the surfaces of the crochet hook 20 are, as shown,smoothly rounded or contoured to prevent snagging on or cutting the yarnand to enable smooth operation of the needle 10 during the making ofcrochet stitches.

Intermediate its ends, the body 12 of the needle 10 is shaped and givena surface finish to constitute a finger gripping means designedgenerally at 24 whereby the body 12 can be readily manipulated by thefingers as to all movements that are necessary in the making of loop andcrochet stitches, particularly such as entail turning the body 12 aboutand along its longitudinal dimension or axis. The means 24 preferablytakes the illustrated form of an intennediate longitudinal extent of thebody 12 having a pair of longitudinally spaced noncircular portions 26and 28 of substantially rectangular transverse cross section such asshown in FIG. 6 relative to the body portion 26. The portions 26 and 28are substantially identical to each other. The transverse ends of theportions 26 and 28 are rounded as shown at 34 in FIG 6. As will beapparent on inspection of FIG. 2, the opposite side surfaces 30 and 32are also of concave character with respect to their longitudinaldimensions.

The finger gripping means 24 is spaced from the hook 20 by an extent 36of the body 12 that is of circular cylindrical transverse section asshown in FIG. 5, and the body 12 also includes a longitudinal extent 38that is tapered as shown to smoothly merge at its opposite ends with thebody extent 26 and the hook 20. The tapered extent 38 of the body 12 isof substan tially circular or of slight elliptic character in transversesection along its length.

The body 12 is provided with a transverse opening or eye 40 therethroughthat is closely spaced adjacent the end 42 of the body 12 remote fromthe hook 20. Except as indicated to be otherwise, the body 12 is ofcylindrical configuration, preferably circular as shown, throughout itsaxial or longitudinal extent between the finger gripping means 24 andthe end 42 of the body 12, such cylindrical extent being designated bythe reference numeral 44. Certain parts of the needle 10 have beendescribed and shown as being of circular cylindrical character. It is tobe understood that the term cylindrical per se is employed in the broadsense such as to describe any surface that can be generated by moving adirectrix line about a simple closed curve while the line is maintainedparallel to a given line. Accordingly, unless the term cylindrical" ismodified by a term such as circular," the broad sense is intended andincludes by way of example a cylindrical body of elliptical transversesection.

The surfaces of the body 12. defining the eye 40 therethrough are suchas are customary in the case of conventional looping needles such asthose commercially available from The Grant Company of 4149 NorthMilwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Ill. (Zip Code 60641), and depicted in abooklet published by them' in 1969 with the title Grants One NeedleLooping. In particular the internal body surface 46 of the eye 40 remotefrom the body end 42 is convex as clearly shown in FIG. 4. The internalbody surface 48 nearest the end 42 is generally of a partial cylindricalconfiguration as shown in FIG. 4. All surfaces of the body 12 in andabout the eye 40 are smoothly contoured in the conventional manner toprevent snagging and cutting of yarn, not shown, passed therethrough.

The body 12 has an extreme end portion 50 intermediate the eye 40 andthe end 42 that is progressively tapered from the transverse dimensionsof the extent 44 and which is smoothly rounded off at the end 42 toconstitute a convex and blunt tip 54 of reduced size as clearly shown inthe drawings.

In the preferred construction, the book 20 has an axial plane ofsymmetry as does also the eye 40, and such planes of symmetry are atright angles to each other. In other words, it is preferred that, asshown, the plane of the barb 18 is at right angles to the axis of thetransverse extent of the eye 40 through the body 12.

The annular stop means 12 is of somewhat elastic character and offrictional nature. The annular stop means 12 comprises a disc 56 ofneoprene or the like having a central cylindrical opening 58therethrough (of ashape similar to the body extent 44) through which thecylindrical extent 44 of the body 12 extends. The stop disc 56 has asnug and frictional fit of the body extent 44 inasmuch as the internaldiameter of the opening 58 has a slightly less diameter than thediameter of the body extent 44 when the disc is in a state of repose.The relationship is such that the stop disc 56 tends fairly strongly tobe frictionally retained at whatever position it is axially disposedalong the body extent 44, but can be adjusted in position therealongwhen subjected to forces considerably in excess of the forces to whichthe same is subjected in the forming of loops in loop stitching. Thedisc 56 can of course be removed from and replaced on the body 12 as maybe desired. As shown, the outer periphery is axially convex at 60.

While the needle is susceptible to many and varied uses limited innumber only by the ingenuity and imagination of the user, a briefdescription of the use of the same in connection with alternate loopstitching and crochet stitching will adequately suggest the versatilityof the sewing instrument.

Yarn, not shown, is passed through the eye, and a fabric can bepartially formed by loop stitching in the customary manner (such as anyof the ways described in the previously mentioned publication of TheGrant Company), with the size of the loops being controlled by theposition to which the stop disc 56 is adjusted on the body extent 44 andits spacing from the eye 40. Upon the completion of the making of one ormore of the loop stitches, an additional short length of yarn is passedthrough the eye 40, and the direction of the needle 10 with respect tothe fabric is reversed so that the hook 20 can be applied to the sameand the length of the yarn extending between the fabric and the eye 40.Crochet stitches can now be executed in the usual manner with yarn beingfed through the eye 40 which then takes on the function of a guide forthe yarn. Such guiding function essentially eliminates any possibilityof the yarn kinking, or becoming tangled near the fabric.

While crocheting with the yarn passed through the guiding eye 40, theextent of the yarn intermediate the eye 40 and the workpiece or fabric,not shown, can be played or fed either through the hand with which theuser grips the needle or through the fingers of the users other hand,and in either case, if desired the user can with the hand holding theneedle coordinate the gripping of yarn against the needle 10 adjacentthe eye 40 to control the rate of feeding of the yarn. This use isenhanced by the hook 20 being at right angles to the eye 40, though suchangular relationship is not essential. It will be noted that thepreferred arrangement works equally well for persons that are rightandleft-handed.

The needle 10 can be fabricated by any conventional and well knowntechniques appropriate to the materials employed. Metals can be stampedor cast, while injection molding can be applied in the case of nylon orthe like. Wood can be carved to the desired shape.

Having described the invention, its fabrication and use to convey a fulland complete appreciation thereof to those familiar with the art,attention is now directed to the appended claims as to the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A sewing needle comprising a straight elongated body having first andsecond ends, said body having a barb shape at the first end thereofdefining a crochet hook, said body having an end portion terminating atthe second end of the body, said end portion having an opening extendingtransversely therethrough defining an eye intermediate the longitudinalextent of said end portion, said end portion having an externalconfiguration that is smoothly contoured longitudinally along the entirelongitudinal extent thereof and being smoothly rounded off and blunt atthe second end of the body, said end portion of the body with the eyetherethrough being so constructed and arranged as to constitute a loopermeans for knitting by looping, with said eye and said crochet hook beingso constructed and arranged that the eye constitutes means for guidingyarn along a portion of a travel path thereof on its being fed to thecrochet hook, and said body being provided with an externalconfiguration constituting finger gripping means intermediate and spacedfrom the crochet hook and said end portion of the body, whereby a usercan with finger pressure turn the body about and move the same along itslongitudinal extent.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the body is provided with a stopmeans between and spaced from the eye and the finger gripping means forlimiting the foremost insertion of the second end of the body into afabric.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said end portion includes alongitudinal extent that is of cylindrical configuration, and whereinthe stop means is an annular member of elastomeric material embracingand frictionally engaging said cylindrical extent of said end portion,whereby the annular stop means can be forced longitudinally along thecylindrical extent of said end portion to a position of selected spacingfrom the eye.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the barb shape at the first endof the body has a plane of symmetry coincident with the longitudinalextent of the body, and wherein said end portion of the body inclusiveof the opening therethrough has a plane of symmetry coincident with thelongitudinal extent of the body, with said planes of symmetry being atright angles to each other.

1. A sewing needle comprising a straight elongated body having first andsecond ends, said body having a barb shape at the first end thereofdefining a crochet hook, said body having an end portion terminating atthe second end of the body, said end portion having an opening extendingtransversely therethrough defining an eye intermediate the longitudinalextent of said end portion, said end portion having an externalconfiguration that is smoothly contoured longitudinally along the entirelongitudinal extent thereof and being smoothly rounded off and blunt atthe second end of the body, said end portion of the body with the eyetherethrough being so constructed and arranged as to constitute a loopermeans for knitting by looping, with said eye and said crochet hook beingso constructed and arranged that the eye constitutes means for guidingyarn along a portion of a travel path thereof on its being fed to thecrochet hook, and said body being provided with an externalconfiguration constituting finger gripping means intermediate and spacedfrom the crochet hook and said end portion of the body, whereby a usercan with finger pressure turn the body about and move the same along itslongitudinal extent.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the body isprovided with a stop means between and spaced from the eye and thefinger gripping means for limiting the foremost insertion of the secondend of the body into a fabric.
 3. The combination of claim 2, whereinsaid end portion includes a longitudinal extent that is of cylindricalconfiguration, and wherein the stop means is an annular member ofelastomeric material embracing and frictionally engaging saidcylindrical extent of said end portion, whereby the annular stop meanscan be forced longitudinally along the cylindrical extent of said endportion to a position of selected spacing from the eye.
 4. Thecombination of claim 2, wherein the barb shape at the first end of thebody has a plane of symmetry coincident with the longitudinal extent ofthe body, and wherein said end portion of the body inclusive of theopening therethrough has a plane of symmetry coincident with thelongitudinal extent of the body, with said planes of symmetry being atright angles to each other.